Shielding member for wire harness, wire harness with shielding member, and method for shielding wire harness

Abstract

To provide a shield member for a wire harness capable of improving productivity and workability in grounding.SOLUTION: A shielding member 21 for a wire harness includes a conductive non-woven fabric tape 5 that is a non-woven fabric having a winding portion 7 wound around a wire harness 3 routed along a conductive vehicle body 8 and plated with metal, in which the conductive non-woven fabric tape 5 has a through hole 11 through which a fixing component 20 for grounding to the vehicle body 8 is inserted in a grounding portion 9 that is not wound around the wire harness 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shielding member for a wire harness, a wire harness with a shielding member, and a method for shielding a wire harness. [Background technology]

[0002] With the advancement of research and development into autonomous driving and the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, automobiles are becoming increasingly electrified. Therefore, it is expected that the productivity and reliability of the electrical components installed in vehicles will increase in the future. For example, there are increasing demands for productivity and other aspects of shielding materials that shield wire harnesses from electromagnetic waves emitted by each electrical component. In order for a shielding material to shield a wire harness from electromagnetic waves, it is necessary to surround the wire harness with a conductive shielding material and further connect the shielding material to an earth (ground). Therefore, there is a demand for shielding materials that offer excellent productivity and workability.

[0003] Braided wire is known as a shielding material for wire harnesses. In this case, to ground the shielding material, a drain wire drawn out from the shielding material must be joined to a regular electric wire with a crimped LA terminal (round terminal), and the joint must be insulated and protected by wrapping tape or other processing. This makes it difficult to improve productivity and workability when grounding.

[0004] Meanwhile, shielding members in which the periphery of an electric wire is covered with a metal-plated conductive nonwoven fabric are also known (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). Single-sided tape with an adhesive material is also known as a conductive nonwoven fabric (Patent Document 3). However, even shielding members using conductive nonwoven fabric still require the joint between the drain wire and the general electric wire and the tape wrapping around the joint when grounding, which poses problems in productivity and workability. Therefore, a known structure is one in which the shielding member is sandwiched between conductive nonwoven fabrics for electrical connection, the conductive nonwoven fabric is heat-cured to form a grounding fixture, and a conductive bolt is inserted into a mounting hole formed in the grounding fixture to connect it to the vehicle body for grounding (Patent Document 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-115361 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-129342 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2017-503880 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-174444 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in order to ground the shielding member with the structure of Patent Document 4, a grounding fixture is required in addition to the shielding member and the grounding bolt, which poses a problem of insufficient improvement in productivity and workability during grounding.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and its object is to provide a shielding member for a wire harness, a wire harness with a shielding member, and a shielding method for a wire harness that can improve productivity and workability during grounding. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The shielding member for a wire harness of the present invention includes a conductive nonwoven fabric tape that is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric and is partially wrapped around a wire harness that is routed along a conductive vehicle body, and the conductive nonwoven fabric tape has a through-hole in the portion that is not wrapped around the wire harness, through which a fixing part for grounding to the vehicle body is inserted.

[0009] The wire harness with a shielding member of the present invention comprises a wire harness that is routed along a conductive vehicle body, and a shielding member having a conductive nonwoven fabric tape that is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric and is partially wrapped around the wire harness, and the conductive nonwoven fabric tape has a through-hole in a portion that is not wrapped around the wire harness, through which a fixing part for grounding to the vehicle body is inserted.

[0010] The method for shielding a wire harness of the present invention includes a winding step of winding a portion of a conductive nonwoven fabric tape, which is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric, around a wire harness that is routed along a conductive vehicle body, and a connecting step of inserting a grounding fixing component into a through-hole provided in a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape that is not wrapped around the wire harness, thereby electrically connecting the conductive nonwoven fabric tape to the vehicle body, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape to the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a shielding member for a wire harness, a wire harness with a shielding member, and a shielding method for a wire harness that can improve productivity and workability during grounding. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a wire harness with a shielding member provided with a shielding member (a shielding member for a wire harness) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing details of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape of FIG. 2, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view and (b) is an enlarged view of a main part of (a). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first modified example of the grounding portion of the shielding member according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of FIG. 4, in which the car body and rivets are omitted. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of a fixing part for fixing the shield member according to the embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle body for grounding, and corresponds to FIG. 2.

[0023] FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of a fixing part for fixing the shield member according to the embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle body for grounding, and corresponds to FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a third modified example of a fixing part for fixing and grounding the shield member according to the embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle body, and corresponds to FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a second modified example of the grounding portion of the shielding member according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken along line B-B. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are first perspective views for explaining a procedure of a method for shielding a wire harness using a shielding member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a second perspective view for explaining the procedure of the method for shielding a wire harness using the shielding member according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a third perspective view for explaining the procedure of the method for shielding a wire harness using the shielding member according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The present invention will be described below in accordance with preferred embodiments. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in the embodiments shown below, some components are omitted from illustration and description, but it goes without saying that publicly known or well-known technologies are applied as appropriate to the details of the omitted technologies within the scope of the content described below.

[0014] First, the configuration of a wire harness with a shielding member including a shielding member for a wire harness according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a wire harness with a shielding member including a shielding member (shielding member for a wire harness) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing details of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape in Fig. 2. The wire harness with a shielding member 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a harness used to connect electrical components mounted on a vehicle 10, and includes a wire harness 3 and a shielding member 21 (shielding member for a wire harness).

[0015] The wire harness 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an assembly of electric wires that transmit power and electric signals between electrical components mounted on a vehicle 10, and terminals and connectors (not shown) attached to the ends of the electric wires. The wire harness 3 is routed on the surface of a conductive vehicle body 8 that constitutes the vehicle 10. In FIG. 2, the wire harness 3 is illustrated as an electric wire including a core wire 3a, which is a metal wire that transmits power and electric signals, and an insulating layer 3b that covers the core wire 3a and prevents short circuits. However, the configuration of the wire harness 3 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2. For example, the wire harness 3 may be formed by bundling multiple electric wires with adhesive tape or the like, or by covering the electric wires with an insulating tube such as a corrugated tube. On the other hand, the wire harness 3 in this embodiment is preferably an unshielded wire harness that does not include a shielding member. If the wire harness 3 includes a shielding member, the wire harness 3 can be shielded from electromagnetic waves without using the wire harness 1 with a shielding member of the present invention. The vehicle body 8 is not particularly limited as long as it is a component that constitutes the vehicle 10 and is conductive. For example, a body shell made of steel plate can be used. 1 and 2 show a flat plate as an example of the structure of the vehicle body 8 at the position where the wire harness 3 is routed, but the structure of the vehicle body 8 at the portion where the wire harness 3 is routed is not limited to a flat plate. Furthermore, the wire harness 3 may be fixed to the vehicle body 8 with adhesive tape, clamps, or the like (not shown) as needed.

[0016] The shielding member 21 is a member that shields the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves by being grounded to the vehicle body 8, and includes a conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5. The conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is a member that shields the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves when grounded to the vehicle body 8, and is a conductive nonwoven fabric that is partially wrapped around the wire harness 3 and metal-plated. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 includes a nonwoven fabric 5a, a plated portion 5b, and an adhesive layer 15. The nonwoven fabric 5a is a sheet-like member in which fibers are intertwined without being woven, and has a predetermined thickness. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the nonwoven fabric 5a is formed into multiple layers of fibers in the thickness direction due to manufacturing characteristics. The material of the fibers that make up the nonwoven fabric 5a is not particularly limited as long as it can be manufactured with a width and length that can cover the area Z shown in FIG. 1, can be metal-plated, and does not easily deteriorate in the usage environment of the wire harness 1 with a shielding member. For example, examples of fiber materials include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), nylon, acrylic, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, and polyarylate fiber.

[0017] The plated portion 5b shown in FIG. 3(b) is a conductive metal (metal plating) that coats the fibers F that make up the nonwoven fabric 5a. The plated portion 5b can be made of any metal, as long as it can absorb electromagnetic waves while grounded and does not easily peel off from the nonwoven fabric 5a. For example, one or more metals or alloys selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, gold, nickel, chromium, tin, zinc, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, antimony, bismuth, germanium, cadmium, cobalt, and indium can be used as the plating material. The plated portion 5b may be formed as a single layer on the fibers F that make up the nonwoven fabric 5a, or may be formed as multiple layers. Therefore, the plated portion 5b may be formed, for example, with copper (first layer) and tin (second layer) on the fibers F that make up the nonwoven fabric 5a.

[0018] The conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 may be formed by forming plated portions 5b on the fibers F and then entangling the fibers F to form the nonwoven fabric 5a, or by forming the nonwoven fabric 5a and then forming the plated portions 5b. A specific plating method is chemical plating such as electroless plating. A more specific plating method involves first immersing the fibers F or nonwoven fabric 5a in a treatment tank filled with a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid (e.g., supercritical carbon dioxide) containing an organometallic complex of a plating catalyst metal, such as palladium. Next, the treatment tank is decomposed by thermal reduction by reducing the pressure and heating, and the plating catalyst metal is precipitated on the surface of the fibers F or nonwoven fabric 5a. Finally, chemical plating such as electroless plating is performed using the plating catalyst metal as a catalyst to form plated portions 5b on the fibers F or nonwoven fabric 5a.

[0019] The adhesive layer 15 is a layer for fixing the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 in a wound state to the wire harness 3, and is provided as needed. A typical example of the adhesive layer 15 is an acrylic adhesive.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 includes a wrapping portion 7 (part) and a grounding portion 9 (part). The wrapping portion 7 is a portion of the wire harness 3, in this case, a portion wrapped around the wire harness 3 so as to cover an area Z, which is a partial area in the axial direction of the wire harness 3. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is spirally wrapped around the wire harness 3. The grounding portion 9 is a portion that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3 and is used to ground the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to a vehicle body 8. In FIGS. 1 and 2 , the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is not wrapped around the wire harness 3 but is flat and elongated so as to fit along the vehicle body 8, and this flat and elongated end 4 constitutes the grounding portion 9. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 has a through-hole 11 in the grounding portion 9 that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3, through which a rivet 13 (shank 13 a) serving as a fixing part 20 for fixing and grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 2, a vehicle body side hole 12 is provided in the vehicle body 8, and the shank 13a of the rivet 13 is also inserted through the vehicle body side hole 12.

[0021] The rivet 13 is a metal component that fixes the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8 for grounding by pressing the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8 to bring it into contact, and includes a shaft portion 13a, a head portion 13c, and a plastic deformation portion 13b. The shaft portion 13a is a cylindrical member that passes through the through hole 11 and the vehicle body side hole portion 12. The head portion 13c prevents the shaft portion 13a from slipping out of the through hole 11 and the vehicle body side hole portion 12, and is a portion that presses the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8. Specifically, the head portion 13c is provided at the lower end of the shaft portion 13a, and is a hemispherical member with a diameter larger than the shaft portion 13a, the through hole 11, and the vehicle body side hole portion 12. The plastically deformed portion 13b is a retaining portion that is plastically deformed by applying stress to the tip 13d of the shank 13a (see FIG. 13) by striking or applying pressure, and is a hemispherical member with a larger diameter than the shank 13a, the through hole 11, and the vehicle body side hole 12. Note that rivets like the rivet 13 that are plastically deformed by applying stress to the tip 13d of the shank 13a by striking or applying pressure are also called solid rivets.

[0022] In this structure, the shank 13a and plastically deformed portion 13b of the rivet 13 sandwich the grounding portion 9 and the vehicle body 8, pressing the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8 to bring them into contact, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. In the vehicle 10, the potential of the vehicle body 8 can be considered to be the potential in a grounded state (ground potential). Therefore, when the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is grounded to the vehicle body 8, the potential of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 also becomes the ground potential. As a result, the wrapped portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 absorbs electromagnetic waves emitted by, for example, electrical equipment (not shown) provided around the wire harness 3, and the electromagnetic waves emitted by the electrical equipment can be prevented from reaching the core wire 3a of the wire harness 3. Therefore, the shielding member 21 can shield the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves. Note that area Z is an area where electromagnetic waves emitted by, for example, electrical equipment (not shown) provided around the wire harness 3 have an intensity that affects the signals and power transmitted by the wire harness 3, and more specifically, is the vicinity of the electrical equipment that emits electromagnetic waves. However, the wrapping portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 not only prevents the electromagnetic waves emitted by the electrical equipment from reaching the wire harness 3, but also absorbs the electromagnetic waves emitted by the wire harness 3, thereby preventing the electromagnetic waves emitted by the wire harness 3 from reaching surrounding electrical equipment.

[0023] In this way, in the shielding member 21, the grounding portion 9 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is grounded to the vehicle body 8 as a grounding component, so that the wrapping portion 7 is at ground potential and shields the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves. In this structure, the wrapping portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is wrapped around the wire harness 3 is used as a shield, and the unwrapped grounding portion 9 is used as a grounding component, so there is no need to prepare a separate grounding component. Therefore, the shielding member 21 can improve productivity and workability during grounding.

[0024] 1 and 2, the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is provided with a through hole 11 as the ground portion 9, but the location of the through hole 11 is not necessarily limited to the end 4 as long as it is a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3. This point will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first modified example of the ground portion 9 of the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of FIG. 4, and the vehicle body 8 and rivets 13 are omitted. In the shielding member 21 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a folded overlap portion 22 provided midway through the winding of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 serves as the ground portion 9, and a through hole 11 is provided in the folded overlap portion 22. The folded overlap portion 22 is a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3. Specifically, the folded overlap portion 22 is a long portion formed by stopping the winding of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 around the wire harness 3, pulling out a predetermined length along the vehicle body 8, and folding back to join the adhesive layers 15. The folded back portion is then wound around the wire harness 3 again. Therefore, the folded overlap portion 22 can be provided at a desired position along the winding portion 7 in the axial direction of the wire harness 3 by stopping the winding of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 at a desired position during the winding, pulling out the tape, and then folding back.

[0025] Whether the through hole 11 is provided at the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or at the folded-over portion 22 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be selected appropriately taking into account the advantages of each. For example, if the through hole 11 is provided at the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5, after the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wrapped around the wire harness 3, the remaining unwrapped portion can be cut to a desired length. The cut end 4 becomes the ground portion 9, and the through hole 11 can be formed. This eliminates the need for a process of providing the folded-over portion 22 to form the ground portion 9, which is advantageous in terms of productivity and workability. On the other hand, if the through hole 11 is provided at the folded-over portion 22, the ground portion 9 can be provided at a desired position along the wrapping portion 7. This is advantageous in that even if the position where the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 can be grounded is limited to a specific position on the vehicle body 8 due to the shape or structure of the vehicle body 8, it is easy to form the ground portion 9 at that position. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, this embodiment will be described taking as an example a case where the through-hole 11 is provided at the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5.

[0026] 1 and 2 show an example in which rivets 13 are used as fixing parts 20, but fixing parts 20 are not limited to rivets 13 as long as the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 can be fixed to the vehicle body 8 and maintained in a grounded state by pressing and contacting the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8. This point will be explained with reference to Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are cross-sectional views showing first to third modified examples of fixing parts 20 for fixing shielding member 21 according to this embodiment to vehicle body 8, and correspond to Fig. 2.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6, the fixing component 20 may be a bolt 33. The bolt 33 shown in FIG. 6 includes a shank 33a and a head 33b. The shank 33a is a threaded rod inserted into the through-hole 11. The head 33b is a stopper provided at the upper end of the shank 33a and is wider than the shank 33a. The bolt 33 shown in FIG. 6 has a nut 33c threaded onto the lower end of the shank 33a. The head 33b and the nut 33c sandwich the grounding portion 9 and the vehicle body 8, pressing the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8 to bring them into contact, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. Note that if a female thread is formed on the inner periphery of the vehicle body-side hole 12 and the shank 33a of the bolt 33 is threaded into the vehicle body-side hole 12 to press the grounding portion 9 against the vehicle body 8, the nut 33c is not necessary. The bolt 33 may also be composed of only the shank 33a, like a stud bolt. In this case, two nuts 33c are screwed onto the shaft portion 33a, and the ground contact portion 9 and the vehicle body 8 are sandwiched between the two nuts 33c.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7 , the fixing component 20 may be a clip 43. The clip 43 is made of an elastic material such as resin and includes a main body 43a, a shaft 43b, a pressing portion 43c, and a tip 43d. The main body 43a is a plate-like member that holds the shaft 43b and the pressing portion 43c. The shaft 43b is a cylindrical member that is inserted into the through-hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12 and protrudes downward from the underside of the main body 43a. The pressing portion 43c is a hollow cone-shaped member that contacts the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5. It is provided on the underside of the main body 43a so as to be coaxial with the shaft 43b and surround the shaft 43b, and its diameter expands downward. The tip 43d is a member whose axial cross section is arrow-shaped, and an end 43e at the folded-back portion of the arrow contacts the vehicle body 8. When the tip portion 43d and the shaft portion 43b of the clip 43 are inserted into the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12 from the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 side, the tip portion 43d comes into contact with the inner peripheries of the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12, elastically deforming and reducing in diameter while being inserted into the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12. When the shaft portion 43b is further inserted to a position where the tip portion 43d is exposed from the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12, the tip portion 43d expands in diameter and becomes retained. In this state, as shown in FIG. 7 , the pressing portion 43c and the tip portion 43d sandwich the grounding portion 9 and the vehicle body 8, and the grounding portion 9 is pressed against and contacted with the vehicle body 8, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. Note that, as shown in FIG. 8 , a holding portion 43f for holding the wire harness 3 may be provided on the upper surface of the main body 43a. The holding portion 43f is made of an elastic material such as resin and is a cylinder with a C-shaped axial cross section. The distance between the open ends of the C-shape of the holding portion 43f in the axial cross section is smaller than the diameter of the wire harness 3. In this structure, when the wire harness 3 is pushed into the cylinder from the open ends of the C-shape of the holding portion 43f, the holding portion 43f elastically deforms so that the open ends are pushed apart, and the wire harness 3 is inserted into the cylinder. When the wire harness 3 is pushed to a position where the open ends do not come into contact with the wire harness 3, the holding portion 43f elastically deforms so that the open ends narrow and returns to its original shape, and the wire harness 3 is held by the holding portion 43f. Note that the clip 43 having the function of holding the wire harness 3 as shown in FIG. 8 is also called a clamp.

[0029] Whether to use a rivet 13, a bolt 33, or a clip 43 as the fixing part 20 can be selected appropriately, taking into consideration the advantages of each. For example, when using a rivet 13 as the fixing part 20, the tip 13d of the shank 13a is plastically deformed to form the plastically deformed part 13b, which prevents the part from coming loose. This makes it extremely unlikely that the plastically deformed part 13b will return to its original shape or become detached from the shank 13a due to an external force. This is advantageous in that the fixing part 20 is less likely to become detached due to an external force than other fixing parts 20. Furthermore, when using a rivet 13 as the fixing part 20, metal can be used as the material, which is advantageous in that grounding can also be achieved via the rivet 13.

[0030] When bolt 33 is used as fixing part 20, bolt 33 has a screw structure, which is advantageous in that it can be attached and detached by rotating head 33b and nut 33c with a spanner or wrench. In addition, when bolt 33 is used as fixing part 20, metal can be used as the material, which is advantageous in that grounding can also be performed via bolt 33.

[0031] When the clip 43 is used as the fixing part 20, the tip 43d is inserted into the through-hole 11 and the vehicle body-side hole 12, and then simply exposed on the surface opposite the insertion side, so that the tip 43d expands in diameter to prevent it from coming off, thereby fixing the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. This is advantageous in that it is easy to attach. Furthermore, when the clip 43 having the holding part 43f is used as the fixing part 20, it is advantageous in that it can also hold the wire harness 3.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is used as the ground portion 9 and a through hole 11 is provided in the end 4, the portion where the through hole 11 is provided may be reinforced. This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 . FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a second modified example of the ground portion 9 of the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 9 . FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example in which the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 has a folded portion 9a (folded portion) in which the end 4, which is the ground portion 9, is folded in the thickness direction. In this example, the through hole 11 is provided in the folded portion 9a. By folding the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to form the folded portion 9a in this manner, the thickness of the folded portion 9a where the through hole 11 is formed can be made thicker than the portion where the through hole 11 is not formed. This makes it possible to reinforce the portion where the through hole 11 is provided. This concludes the description of the configuration of the shielding member-equipped wire harness 1 including the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment.

[0033] Next, an example of a shielding method for the wire harness 3 using the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Figs. 11 to 13. Figs. 11 to 13 are first to third perspective views for explaining the steps of the shielding method for the wire harness 3 using the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment. Note that the shielding method will be described here using an example in which a rivet 13 is used as the fixing part 20.

[0034] First, as shown in FIG. 11 , a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5, which is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric, is wrapped around the wire harness 3 (winding process). Here, the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wound around the wire harness 3 by rotating it in the direction C in FIG. 11 a sufficient number of times to cover the area Z in FIG. 1 , thereby forming the wrapped portion 7. When winding, it is preferable to wrap the portion to be wrapped so that a portion of the portion to be wrapped overlaps the portion already wrapped around the wire harness 3. This is because the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 can be wrapped around the wire harness 3 without any gaps. Furthermore, when winding, the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wound so that the adhesive layer 15 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 contacts the outer periphery of the wire harness 3, thereby fixing the wrapped portion 7 to the wire harness 3. After winding is complete, the portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3 is cut at a desired position to adjust its length, forming the ground portion 9 as shown in FIG. 12 . Next, a well-known punch or the like is used to form a through hole 11 in the ground portion 9. The through holes 11 may be formed before the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wrapped around the wire harness 3 .

[0035] Next, a rivet 13 serving as a grounding fixing component 20 is inserted through the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12 to electrically connect the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8 (connection process). Specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 12 , the wire harness 3 around which the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wound is placed facing the vehicle body 8 so that the through hole 11 and the vehicle-body-side hole 12 are aligned in plan view. Next, the wire harness 3 around which the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wound is moved in the direction indicated by D in FIG. 12 and routed on the vehicle body 8 as shown in FIG. 13 . At this time, the wire harness 3 is fixed to the vehicle body 8 with adhesive tape, clamps, or the like (not shown) as necessary. Furthermore, if an insulating coating such as paint is provided on the surface of the vehicle body 8, the insulating coating is removed from the portion overlapping the grounding portion 9 before the wire harness 3 is routed on the vehicle body 8. Next, as shown in FIG. 13 , a rivet 13 is prepared in a state before the plastic deformation portion 13b is formed. Specifically, a rivet 13 is prepared, which has a shank 13a and a head 13c, and in which a plastically deformed portion 13b is not formed at a tip 13d of the shank 13a. Next, as shown in FIG. 13 , with the head 13c of the rivet 13 facing downward, the shank 13a of the rivet 13 is inserted from the vehicle body 8 side into the vehicle body side hole 12 and the through hole 11 and moved in the direction of E until the tip 13d of the shank 13a is exposed from the through hole 11. Finally, the tip 13d of the shank 13a is plastically deformed using a rivet hammer, press, or the like (not shown) to form the plastically deformed portion 13b. Once the plastically deformed portion 13b is formed, as shown in FIG. 1 , the shank 13a and the plastically deformed portion 13b sandwich the grounding portion 9 and the vehicle body 8, and the grounding portion 9 is pressed against the vehicle body 8 to contact the grounding portion 9, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. Note that the head 13c of the rivet 13 may be directed upward, and the tip 13d of the shank 13a may be inserted into the vehicle body side hole 12 and the through hole 11 from the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 side to be exposed from the vehicle body side hole 12, and the exposed tip 13d may be plastically deformed to form the plastically deformed portion 13b. This completes the description of one example of the method for shielding the wire harness 3 using the shielding member 21 according to this embodiment.

[0036] As described above, the shielding member 21 of this embodiment includes the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is wrapped around the wire harness 3, and the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 has a through hole 11 in a portion that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3, through which a fixing part 20 for grounding to the vehicle body 8 is inserted. In this configuration, the grounding portion 9 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is grounded to the vehicle body 8 as a grounding part, thereby setting the potential of the wound portion 7 to ground potential and shielding the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves. As described above, the shielding member 21 uses the wound portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is wrapped around the wire harness 3 as a shield and the unwrapped grounding portion 9 as a grounding part, eliminating the need for a separate grounding part. Therefore, the shielding member 21 improves productivity and workability during grounding.

[0037] Furthermore, in the shielding member 21 of this embodiment, a through hole 11 is provided at the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 or at a folded-over portion 22 provided midway through the winding. In this configuration, a fixing component 20 is inserted into the through hole 11 provided at the end 4 or the folded-over portion 22 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to ground the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. When the through hole 11 is provided at the end 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 in this manner, after the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is wound around the wire harness 3, the remaining unwrapped portion is cut to a desired length. The cut end 4 becomes the ground portion 9, and the through hole 11 can be formed. This eliminates the need for a process of providing the folded-over portion 22 to form the ground portion 9, which is advantageous in terms of productivity and workability. On the other hand, when the through hole 11 is provided at the folded-over portion 22, the ground portion 9 can be provided at a desired position along the winding portion 7. Therefore, even if the position where the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 can be grounded is limited to a specific position on the vehicle body 8 due to the shape or structure of the vehicle body 8, it is advantageous in that it is easy to form the grounding portion 9 at that position.

[0038] Furthermore, in the shield member 21 of this embodiment, the fixing part 20 is one of a rivet 13, a bolt 33, and a clip 43. In this configuration, the rivet 13, the bolt 33, or the clip 43 is inserted into the through hole 11 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5, and the grounding portion 9 is pressed against and contacted with the vehicle body 8, thereby fixing the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8 and grounding it. When the rivet 13 is used as the fixing part 20 in this manner, the tip 13d of the shank 13a is plastically deformed to form the plastically deformed portion 13b, which prevents the rivet 13 from coming loose. This makes it extremely unlikely that the plastically deformed portion 13b will return to its original shape or become detached from the shank 13a due to an external force. This is advantageous compared to other fixing parts 20 in that the fixing part 20 is less likely to become detached due to an external force. Furthermore, when the rivet 13 is used as the fixing part 20, metal can be used as the material, which is advantageous in that grounding can also be achieved via the rivet 13. On the other hand, when a bolt 33 is used as the fixing part 20, the bolt 33 has a screw structure, which is advantageous in that it can be attached and detached by rotating the head 33b and nut 33c with a spanner or wrench. When a rivet 13 is used as the fixing part 20, it is advantageous in that metal can be used as the material, which allows grounding via the bolt 33. Furthermore, when a clip 43 is used as the fixing part 20, simply inserting the tip 43d into the through-hole 11 and exposing the tip 43d on the surface opposite the insertion side causes the tip 43d to expand in diameter, preventing it from slipping out and securing the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. Therefore, it is advantageous in that it is easy to attach. When a clip 43 having a holding portion 43f is used as the fixing part 20, it is advantageous in that it can also hold the wire harness 3.

[0039] Furthermore, the shielding member 21 of this embodiment may have through holes 11 in the portions where the end portions 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 are folded in the thickness direction. By forming through holes 11 in the portions where the end portions 4 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 are folded in this way, the thickness of the folded portions 9a where the through holes 11 are formed can be made thicker than the portions where the through holes 11 are not formed. This makes it possible to reinforce the portions where the through holes 11 are formed.

[0040] Furthermore, the wire harness 1 with a shielding member of this embodiment includes a wire harness 3 and a shielding member 21 having a conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 partially wrapped around the wire harness 3. Furthermore, in the wire harness 1 with a shielding member, the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 has a through-hole 11 in a portion not wrapped around the wire harness 3, through which a fixing component 20 for grounding to a vehicle body 8 is inserted. In this configuration, the grounding portion 9 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is not wrapped around the wire harness 3 is grounded to the vehicle body 8 as a grounding component, thereby causing the potential of the wrapping portion 7 wrapped around the wire harness 3 to become ground potential, thereby shielding the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves. In this way, the wire harness 1 with a shielding member uses the wrapping portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is wrapped around the wire harness 3 as a shield and the unwrapped grounding portion 9 as a grounding component, thereby eliminating the need for a separate grounding component. Therefore, the wire harness 1 with a shielding member can improve productivity and workability during grounding.

[0041] The shielding method for the wire harness 3 of this embodiment includes a winding step of winding a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 around the wire harness 3 and a connecting step of grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. In this shielding method, in the connecting step, a fixing component 20 is inserted into a through hole 11 provided in a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is not wound around the wire harness 3, thereby connecting the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 to the vehicle body 8. In this method, the grounding portion 9 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is grounded to the vehicle body 8 as a grounding component, thereby setting the potential of the wound portion 7 to ground potential and shielding the wire harness 3 from electromagnetic waves. As described above, in the shielding method for the wire harness 3 of this embodiment, the wound portion 7 of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 that is wound around the wire harness 3 is used as a shield, and the unwrapped grounding portion 9 is used as a grounding component. Therefore, this method does not require a separate grounding component. Therefore, the shielding method for the wire harness 3 of this embodiment can improve productivity and workability during grounding.

[0042] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and other techniques may be appropriately combined to the extent possible. Furthermore, publicly known or well-known techniques may be combined to the extent possible.

[0043] For example, in the above embodiment, the shape of the ground contact portion 9 is a flat, elongated shape, but if the surface of the vehicle body 8 that comes into contact with the ground is curved and not flat, the shape of the ground contact portion 9 may also be a curved shape that follows the shape of the vehicle body 8.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 is configured to include the adhesive layer 15, but the adhesive layer 15 is not essential. For example, in the same manner as when wrapping a medical bandage, if the conductive nonwoven fabric tape 5 can be wrapped around the wire harness 3 and then fixed to the wire harness 3 with a separate adhesive tape or the like, the adhesive layer 15 does not need to be provided.

[0045] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a solid rivet is used as the rivet 13, but the rivet 13 may be a blind rivet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1: Wire harness with shielding material 3: Wire harness 4: Edge 5: Conductive nonwoven tape 5a: Non-woven fabric 7: Winding part (part) 8: Body 9: Grounding part (part) 9a: Folded part (folded part) 10: Vehicle 11: Through hole 13: Rivet 13a:Shaft part 13b: Plastically deformed part 13c:Head 13d: Tip 20: Fixed parts 21: Shielding material (shielding material for wire harness) 22: Folded overlapping section 33: Bolt 43: Clip

Claims

1. The conductive nonwoven fabric tape is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric and is partially wrapped around a wire harness that is routed along a conductive vehicle body. The conductive nonwoven fabric tape has a through-hole in a portion thereof that is not wrapped around the wire harness, through which a fixing part for grounding to the vehicle body is inserted. A shielding member for a wire harness, comprising:

2. The through-holes are provided at the end of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape or at the folded-over overlapping portion provided midway through the winding. The shielding member for a wire harness according to claim 1 ,

3. The fastening part is one of a rivet, a bolt, and a clip. The shielding member for a wire harness according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

4. The through-hole is provided in a portion where the end of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape is folded in the thickness direction. The shielding member for a wire harness according to claim 1 ,

5. a wire harness routed along a conductive vehicle body; a shielding member having a conductive nonwoven fabric tape that is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric and is partially wrapped around the wire harness, The conductive nonwoven fabric tape has a through-hole in a portion thereof that is not wrapped around the wire harness, through which a fixing part for grounding to the vehicle body is inserted. A wire harness with a shield member, characterized in that:

6. a winding step of winding a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape, which is a metal-plated nonwoven fabric, around a wire harness that is routed along a conductive vehicle body; and a connecting step of inserting a grounding fixing component into a through hole provided in a portion of the conductive nonwoven fabric tape that is not wrapped around the wire harness, thereby electrically connecting the conductive nonwoven fabric tape to the vehicle body, thereby grounding the conductive nonwoven fabric tape to the vehicle body. A method for shielding a wire harness.

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